Rally to Mourn the Loss of 35 Cooper Square, May 25, 2011

Tonight was a rally to mourn the loss of 35 Cooper Square, a small Federal-style building on the Bowery that was built in 1825 and demolished this week! It is a crying shame that developers who were taught the significance of this little piece of history ignored pleas to save the building and razed it.

Members of Bowery Alliance of Neighbors, Two Bridges Neighborhood Council, Historic Districts Council, and other organizations as well as caring neighbors and friends gathered in front of the lot where 35 Cooper used to stand to express their sadness over the loss of the building and to encourage everyone to actively pressure the city to protect the Bowery's historical status and help preserve the few older buildings that remain.

It was great to hear from lecturers, poets, neighbors, and friends who shared the same sentiment: We are sickened by the rapid loss of NYC history on the Bowery and want to preserve what little of it remains!

I've lived in New York City for 20 years (8 years of which in the Lower East Side). Preservation of this area's history is a big value of mine and I plan on being more active in the efforts discussed at the rally.

Apologies for not catching most of the speakers' names. What each person said resonated with the whole crowd.

Here's David Mulkins, Chair of Bowery Alliance of Neighbors, who led the event:

I was in attendance at and enjoyed his lecture "Bowery: Past, Present and Future” at the Tenement Museum on November 16th of 2010.

The crowd got larger with each passing minute. Here's a small bit of the crowd early on:

Print of Patricia Melvin's 2003 painting of 35 Cooper Square which depicts the mural painted on the side shortly after 9/11 (view of the block before the incongruous Cooper Square Hotel which now dwarfs the buildings nearby was built!):

Victor Papa, President of Two Bridges Neighborhood Council:

More photos after the jump!

Simeon Bankoff, Executive Director of Historic Districts Council:

City Council member Rosie Mendez:

If you want to get involved in this effort, contacting the Bowery Alliance of Neighbors (www.boweryalliance.org) and Lower East Side History Project (www.leshp.com) is a great way to start!

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